A recent survey conducted in Mississippi shows that 52% of Republican voters think that Barack Obama is Muslim, along with 45% of Republican voters in Alabama.

…He’s Christian.

But Obama’s religion is not the point of this rant. Why are people in today’s society still ignorant? We have the world at our fingertips! All you have to do is type a candidate’s name into Google, and you can educate yourself better than half of Mississippi…

So please, regardless of whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, educate yourself on the candidates before you vote.

Oh, you don’t have time? Turn off that reality show right now and get to it, dummy.

With (tough) love,
Ash

Maybe you’ve even shared the video—congrats, you’re a philanthropist! …Not.

This Invisible Children organization spent $8,676,614 last year with only 32% of it going to direct services for the charity… This is how they made such a tearjerker for all of the teenage Facebookers to watch and post but not have any means to help.

Awareness is important, sure, but the people who have the means and the power to donate already know about this issue, and you sharing the Facebook video is really not doing anything except making you think that you’re popular.

With that being said, Kony is a terrible man, and he needs to be stopped. But before trying to conquer a sensationalized problem overseas, realize that we have hidden problems and charities right here in North America that need your help too.

With (tough) love,
Ash

The Oscars are eternally classy and everyone loves them for it, while The Grammy’s highlight abusive Chris Brown and put trashy Rihanna on stage next to the genius Chris Martin…

So my question is: why can’t all of the awards shows be as classy as the Oscars?  They’ve been running for 84 years now, classy as ever, and everyone loves them for it.

Awards shows, you better take notes… You don’t have to be trashy to be popular-  Unless you’re Snooki.

With (tough) love,

Ash

But while “Mardi Gras” is American for “getting wasted and flashing your boobs”, it’s French for “Fat Tuesday”.  Its purpose is to get ready for Lent, forty days of sacrifice, honoring the Christian faith through an emulation of Jesus.

For millions of Americans, that means: “I’m giving up chocolate and fried foods because I’m getting super fat!”

And those same fake Christians are the ones who go to church on Ash Wednesday for the first time in years, fooling others with that ashen cross on their foreheads.

If you love your religion and practice it with pride, I commend you. But to the fakers, stop kidding yourself—that muffin top isn’t going away in forty days.

With (tough) love,

Ash

Bon Iver is a new artist?  Taylor Swift gets a standing ovation?

Praising a public domestic abuser with a Grammy and then asking him to perform?

But the cherry on top of it all was Nicki Minaj’s demon dance with an old man pretending to be a Catholic priest.  I honestly felt like I was watching The Exorcist: The Musical presented at Six Flags Great America.

If it weren’t for Jennifer Hudson’s gorgeous Whitney Houston tribute, I would have thrown my television out the window.

I will always have respect for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, but let’s hope the Oscars have a little bit more class than the Grammys did this year.

With (tough) love,

Ash

Initially Andrew Ridgeley and, of course, George Michael came together to form a ska band called The Executive. In 1982, they came to their New Wave-disco-pop-fusion sense, and Wham! was born. With guitarist Ridgeley as the band’s backbone (spokesman and image specialist) and singer Michael as the flair (composer and producer), Wham! was on the track to success.

Wham! released three studio albums from 1983 to 1986: Fantastic, Make it Big and Music from the Edge of Heaven. They became most notably famous for their hit single “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” off the 1984 album Make It Big. (And for anyone who is slightly confused, yes, that is that one song from Zoolander …. Also aybe brush up on your 80s music knowledge? Please?)

“Careless Whisper” was also featured on Make it Big, though it was widely credited to George Michael as a solo effort when initially released as a single. This song went on to reach number one in almost 30 countries, including the United States!

Wanna check it out? Here you go, boys and girls!

9. Inform people of the true origins of Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day has little to do in reality with flowers and chocolate.  Spread the word about the guys who died.  Read up at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine’s_Day.

8. Watch anti-Valentine’s Day movies with an anti-date.

 Some of the worst movies of all time are about Valentine’s Day.  You could either watch one and mock it’s unrealistic depiction of real relationships, or watch something like 500 Days of Summer deliberately upsetting the conventions of our dating world.

7. Break hearts, snow hearts.

There’s snow on the ground on Valentine’s Day, odds are there’s going to be a bunch of hearts carved in the snow.  Break them.  Make them suffer.

6. People watch.

This is a big day for people watching.  So many couples, especially new couples, are going to be going on dates that they hope to be great… and have big potential to fail.  Take advantage.

5. Go to WPGU Presents: Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers tonight.
Even if you don’t have a date, or any friends, there’s a fully stocked bar. Drink your sorrows away, bud.

4. Go to a class you’re not in.

There are so many possibilities here.  You could be the annoying person who knows nothing but still asks questions, with no consequences!  You could throw things at people.  You could pass notes to your friend who is supposed to be paying attention.  You might even learn something.  Er, nevermind.

3. Post additional ideas in the comments section.

Commiserate in everyone else’s Valentine’s Day misery by lessening all of our struggles.

2. Listen to WPGU 107.1 FM today.

We’re celebrating I Hate Valentine’s Day…think of the endless possibilities. Plus, we’ll keep you company on this cold and terrible day.

1. Buy Vanilla ice cream.                                                            

Because seriously, who needs more chocolate?

But, Roland—you’re an idiot.

This week, the CNN political commentator was “indefinitely suspended” after some not-so-nice tweets during the Super Bowl, for examples:

“If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl”
“Who the hell was that New England Patriot they just showed in a head to toe pink suit? Oh, he needs a visit from #teamwhipdatass”

Number one: you work for CNN, but you tweet with that language? Hmm.
Number two: David Beckham is the sexiest and I’m sorry that he intimidates you so much.

But honestly, please keep your homophobia to yourself.

With (tough) love,
Ash

February 9, 2012. That’s today.
February 9, 1990. That’s the day that Nirvana opened for Dinosaur Jr.

Some researchers at the University of California, San Francisco are proposing taxation of all food and drink that includes added sugar, banned sales in or near schools and age limits on purchases.

They say that sugar and other sweeteners are “so toxic to the human body that they should be regulated as strictly as alcohol”.

What?!

America has such a skewed view on food resulting in obesity and eating disorders because of our media’s pressures mixed with fast-food advertisements, but also because of our corrupt FDA.  Has anyone seen Food Inc.? Supersize Me? You know what I’m talking about.

Why are we taxing the citizens? Why don’t we crack down on the food industry instead?

I can’t live in a world where kids aren’t allowed in a candy shop.

With (tough) love,

Ash